Related Links

UCM Foundation Exceeds $100 Million in Support to University

Contact: Dalene AbnerWARRENSBURG, MO (March 5, 2014) — Big ideas often start small. Who would believe that a desk on the back porch of a home at Clark and Holden streets in Warrensburg would be the start of a critical operation more than three decades later at the University of Central Missouri? The UCM Foundation, the legal entity that manages the university's fundraising operations, began in 1979 and recently crossed a major milestone.

“The UCM Foundation has eclipsed the $100 million mark in lifetime contributions received and deployed to help students succeed at our university,” announced Jason Drummond, vice president for alumni relations and development and Foundation executive director. “This is an exciting moment that took us 34 years to reach. Our goal is to achieve our next $100 million in half that time.”

The Foundation has generated millions of dollars for student scholarships, created the university's most prestigious teaching award, started the campus' outdoor sculpture collection, expedited new facilities such as Kirkpatrick Library, Maastricht Friendship Tower and Walton Stadium, and more. Governed by a 33-member volunteer board of directors comprised of many UCM alumni who are industry experts, the Foundation manages 1,388 funds and is nearing $50 million in total assets. It is in the first year of a six-year strategic plan with ambitious goals for investment, financial, fundraising, governance and marketing efforts.

“The Foundation is a growing organization focused on our mission to raise and invest philanthropic gifts, steward donors and pursue best practices,” said Drummond. “Our goal is to make sure that every dollar is used as efficiently as possible to further our mission.”